U.S. wireless carrier Sprint has featured the iPhone and criticized the exclusive wireless provider of Apple's handset, AT&T, in a new advertisement touting the ability to share its 4G network with a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Posted to YouTube this week, the commercial, entitled "Make Your iPhone 4G," features the Overdrive device from Sprint, which can allow an iPhone -- or any Wi-Fi capable device -- to access the carrier's high-speed 4G network. Apple's handset, which is exclusive to AT&T, is the focal point of the commercial.

The commercial features two men on a park bench, and one character, Steve, has an iPhone that his friend, Matt, says is "limited to AT&T's 3G speeds." The pitchman says that the Overdrive 4G mobile hotspot from Sprint can make data connections with the iPhone "up to 10 times faster."

After connecting the iPhone to the Sprint Overdrive Wi-Fi network, the commercial shows a video loading instantly on the device.

"Whatever you do," the commercial concludes, "do it up to ten times faster with 4G from Sprint."

The advertisement carries an approach similar to one that competitor Verizon hopes to take with the forthcoming iPad from Apple. Earlier this month, it was revealed that Verizon has asked its employees to pitch data plans for the iPad that can be shared with a mobile hotspot device like a MiFi.

The internal memo from Verizon called the impending launch of the iPad, set to debut on April 3, an "opportunity" to court new customers. Verizon salespeople were asked to convince customers to buy a Wi-Fi-only version of the iPad and connect it to the Verizon 3G network with a MiFi.

However, while the iPad can be purchased contract-free and without a data plan, the iPhone is tied to AT&T's voice and data network in the U.S. Anyone who used an iPhone with a Sprint Overdrive would have to pay for two wireless data plans in order to have access to both the iPhone and the Sprint 4G network.

As a contract-free purchase, users can buy a 3G-enabled version of the iPad starting at $629. The AT&T network access can be purchased -- or canceled -- at any time directly from the iPad. It costs $15 per month for 250MB, or $30 for unlimited access.

Though the device ships unlocked, due to hardware limitations it will only have access to AT&T's 3G data network in the U.S. But devices like the MiFi and Overdrive could allow connections with alternative carriers like Verizon and Sprint.

This is one major reason why I bought the WiFi version of the iPad, AT&T's network just plan sucks. Only problem is that there's no way to ever get as good a deal with month-to-month 3G service as what AT&T is offering. It's either $60/month for 5GB with 2-year contract, $50 month-to-month for 500MB or $40 month-to-month for $250MB. Those price/data points are pathologically stupid for anyone who wants to consume anything besides text!

Oh well, I'll just stick to what I have now. I'm not about to reward these companies in their attempt to rape my wallet just for mobile data access.

That's a neat thing but for an iPad (home, hotels, public transportation, coffee shops, restaurants, and airports) every place I'd need wi-fi has it for free already. If I'm at a park or other outdoor venue 3G is just fine as I wouldn't be watching a video while I could be enjoying the outdoors.

This is one major reason why I bought the WiFi version of the iPad, AT&T's network just plan sucks. Only problem is that there's no way to ever get as good a deal with month-to-month 3G service as what AT&T is offering. It's either $60/month for 5GB with 2-year contract, $50 month-to-month for 500MB or $40 month-to-month for $250MB. Those price/data points are pathologically stupid for anyone who wants to consume anything besides text!

Oh well, I'll just stick to what I have now. I'm not about to reward these companies in their attempt to rape my wallet just for mobile data access.

Not quite following that. On the one hand, you refuse to get the 3G iPad because you refuse to have your "wallet raped", while simultaneously admitting that the AT&T data plan for the iPad can't be beat.

So the problem seems to be the idea that AT&T's network "just sucks", even though a) it's improved quite a bit over the last year and b) that idea was always highly contingent on your location, with lots of users being perfectly satisfied.

I would want to make sure that AT&T's service actually currently sucked in my location (and was going to continue to suck for the entire time I planned to keep my iPad) before I passed up at least the option to do a month to month cheap data connection.

They spoke of the sayings and doings of their commander, the grand duke, and told stories of his kindness and irascibility.

As a contract-free purchase, users can buy a 3G-enabled version of the iPad starting at $629. The AT&T network access can be purchased -- or canceled -- at any time directly from the iPad. It costs $15 per month for 250MB, or $30 for unlimited access.

How about I take that $629 and the $30 a month and keep it in my dam pocket?

Not quite following that. On the one hand, you refuse to get the 3G iPad because you refuse to have your "wallet raped", while simultaneously admitting that the AT&T data plan for the iPad can't be beat.

So the problem seems to be the idea that AT&T's network "just sucks", even though a) it's improved quite a bit over the last year and b) that idea was always highly contingent on your location, with lots of users being perfectly satisfied.

I would want to make sure that AT&T's service actually currently sucked in my location (and was going to continue to suck for the entire time I planned to keep my iPad) before I passed up at least the option to do a month to month cheap data connection.

I should be more clear, I was referring to the MiFi/Overdrive devices from Verizon and Sprint. Those are the prices that I was quoting which is way too much for the average American to buy.

The price point for the AT&T plans are good, but their network sucks so much that it's not worth spending the extra $130 for the 3G chip. Were Verizon and Sprint to offer similar pricing like AT&T has, I'd be all over it, but that'll happen when pigs fly and Steve Jobs stops bending Apple to his every whim.

4G thats exactly why I gave up my iPhone 3G for the 4G enabled HTC. Here in Moscow (and all other major cities) the entire city is covered by 4G network and unlimited data plan (with 10 meg speed) is only 15$/month.I like iPhone but 3g speed is just not a speed at all! It also costs like 50-80$/month.

P.S. i hope 4G version comes out soon enough, otherwise it will be useless, at least in my country.

yes 4G is capable of 10meg so u get a broadband speed on any 4g enabled device anywhere in the city for 15$/m (as many devices as u wish on a single contract)

One virtually known feature of the Palm Pre is the built-in MiFi for up to 5 devices. This means that Pre owners can buy a WiFi iPad and have internet anywhere with Sprint. Why Palm never advertised this is just another reason why they technically had a good product but did everything else wrong to fudge it up.

If people think that AT&T's 3G network is limited for not covering the same rural areas as Verizon then Sprint's WiMAX should be a non-starter for pretty much every troll on this forum. If you have it in your area, then more power to you, but those interested need to take a look at a coverage map which I can't locate right now).

Also, while WiMAX has a potential for being faster than the current HSDPA/HSUPA used by AT&T, I'd wager that most of the time in most places it won't be. Again, more power to you if it is, but don't eat into the 10x as fast as being common.

•

Gizmodo — WiMAX Feild Test Chart (image)
I've read a rumor that Sprint WiMAX towers will go up at every Walmart (or near to it) across the country. If so, that would surely help out a lot of users.

Quote:

Originally Posted by addabox

So the problem seems to be the idea that AT&T's network "just sucks", even though a) it's improved quite a bit over the last year and b) that idea was always highly contingent on your location, with lots of users being perfectly satisfied.

So Appleinsider please try to put a dampener on your US-centric, corporate suck up world view in the future in order to remain relevant to your European readership. Thank you.

WiMAX is still '4G' regardless of the speed potential. If speed was the marker then EV-DO wouldn't be called '3G' when compared to HSDPA. Calling anything 'xG' without quantifying it is foolish anyway, we know it's done for marketing so it doesn't really matter if it's US-centric or not. It's always been referred to as '4G' since its inception so this isn't a US-centric issue in any regard.

Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"

I have the Clear Spot Wimax device. It does the same thing, but it is a little bigger. I wonder if this is coming to Clear too. $30 a month gives you unlimited 4G data from Clear for all of your devices. Of course coverage isn't as good as AT&T.

WiMAX is still '4G' regardless of the speed potential. If speed was the marker then EV-DO wouldn't be called '3G' when compared to HSDPA. Calling anything 'xG' without quantifying it is foolish anyway, we know it's done for marketing so it doesn't really matter if it's US-centric or not. It's always been referred to as '4G' since its inception so this isn't a US-centric issue in any regard.

So you prefer to stick with whatever marketing feeds you rather than facts? Anyhow i call my wiMax network 4g for the same reason you have stated, it has been marketed as such for years...

4G thats exactly why I gave up my iPhone 3G for the 4G enabled HTC. Here in Moscow (and all other major cities) the entire city is covered by 4G network and unlimited data plan (with 10 meg speed) is only 15$/month.I like iPhone but 3g speed is just not a speed at all! It also costs like 50-80$/month.

P.S. i hope 4G version comes out soon enough, otherwise it will be useless, at least in my country.

yes 4G is capable of 10meg so u get a broadband speed on any 4g enabled device anywhere in the city for 15$/m (as many devices as u wish on a single contract)

I don't think we'll see any "4G" technologies in the 4th iPhone - regardless of whether you classify WiMax or LTE as 4G (which many people do, but technically they're not). Perhaps they'll get called 3.9G eventually . Both of these will apparently evolve together into LTE advanced (which IS genuinely 4G).

Anyway, I don't think we'll see LTE or WiMax in an iPhone this year, certainly not LTE-advanced which is due 2011. WiMax isn't following GSM so Apple won't touch it. And even LTE, the evolution of the GSM line of technologies, isn't quite ready yet - mostly it doesn't do voice yet - but Voice over LTE is rapidly approaching. And the US network (& telco) setup isn't conducive to an LTE iPhone yet.

That HTC WiMax phone you mention is perfect for the Moscow network. It has 2G(GPRS/EDGE) as well as WiMax - a good combination for fast data and voice - and it's been available since the end of 2008.

I suspect we'll see the latest 3G HSPA standards in the 4th iPhone, which will be very fast where the network can handle it, and we'll see LTE in 2011 at the earliest. Even then LTE-advanced (true 4G) might not make it in 2011 iPhone!

(edited to make more sense, and because of the argument over 4G that came up in the posts while I was posting...)

So you prefer to stick with whatever marketing feeds you rather than facts? Anyhow i call my wiMax network 4g for the same reason you have stated, it has been marketed as such for years...

I prefer to be an informed consumer. It's 4G because of certain "facts" that deemed as such when it was being designed. As previously stated, they don't mean anything unless qualified and the label was intended for marketing purposes so let them use it as such.

When '5G' comes along their will eventually be a competitor to it that hits a technological or financial dead end, that has no business being labeled as such but that will be irrelevant as the title will be set so other markets will have to be used.

Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"

I'd rather have the "CDMA" iPhone on the Sprint network, than the Verizon network. Verizon's speeds are supperslow, and they charge too much for what you get. (coverage, speeds.) As for Sprint you get a 'Good" area of coverage depending where you live and their speeds are much speedier than Verizon's. and all for $69.99
you gotta remember that all carriers are not perfect. Just depends what suits you best. For me, it's not Verizon at all.

I don't think we'll see any "4G" technologies in the 4th iPhone. By 4G I mean what seems to be the current buzz on 4G technologies - WiMax and LTE - though both of these aren't technically 4G ... they're very close. Both of these will apparently evolve together into LTE advanced (which IS genuinely 4G).

Anyway, I don't think we'll see LTE or WiMax in an iPhone this year. WiMax isn't following GSM. And LTE, the evolution of the GSM line of technologies, just isn't ready yet - mostly it doesn't do voice yet - but Voice over LTE is rapidly approaching.

That HTC WiMax phone you mention is perfect for the Moscow network. It has 2G(GPRS/EDGE) as well as WiMax - a good combination for fast data and voice.

I suspect we'll see the latest 3G HSPA standards in the 4th iPhone, which will be very fast where the network can handle it, and we'll see LTE in 2011 at the earliest.

I recall reading that japan's NoCoMo isn't expecting to get LTE notebook cards until the end of this year and no phones with LTE capabilities until sometime in 2011.

I'm not sure how Finland is doing with LTE at this point. I recall it just being a very small number of testers for one city.

At any rate, LTE in the iPhone is likely a few years away. HSDPA has a very long way to go before reaching it's limit, where HW still hasn't been invented to handle the max real world speed. It seems more cost effective and useful for carriers and vendors to upgrade their 3GSM capabilities.

Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"

That HTC WiMax phone you mention is perfect for the Moscow network. It has 2G(GPRS/EDGE) as well as WiMax - a good combination for fast data and voice - and it's been available since the end of 2008.

its not good its perfect you rally only need the 2g capability if you go outside the city because the region is not fully covered yet. Inside i just use Skype to call mobiles as its cheaper (unlimited call/text plans start at 150$/m in Ru) plus many muscovites have the same HTC and use Skype so calling them is virtually free

P.S. Dream of the day when Skype + cheap mobile broadband will eliminate my usual bills of 150$/m and 55£/m in Ru and Uk

Or better yet, you can buy an iPod touch and a WiFi iPad and connect to them using the MiFi or other WiFi routers that act like cell modems. In essence, you'd lock yourself out of using AT&T's network instead... oh the irony

Or better yet, you can buy an iPod touch and a WiFi iPad and connect to them using the MiFi or other WiFi routers that act like cell modems. In essence, you'd lock yourself out of using AT&T's network instead... oh the irony

There is certainly a case to be made for MiFi connected WiFi-only iPad over a 3G IPad, but the relatively low price of iPad data plan (which I'm still astounded by) does pretty much mean that you'd have to be connecting multiple devices on-the-go in the same location for it to be financially feasible. One scenario might be a family with the desire for 2 or more iPads and/or notebooks when traveling.

Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"

That's a neat thing but for an iPad (home, hotels, public transportation, coffee shops, restaurants, and airports) every place I'd need wi-fi has it for free already. If I'm at a park or other outdoor venue 3G is just fine as I wouldn't be watching a video while I could be enjoying the outdoors.

Only some airports and hotels have free wifi. Many still charge a fee, or you have to use a service such as Boingo.

Only some airports and hotels have free wifi. Many still charge a fee, or you have to use a service such as Boingo.

Regardless of the country I've traveled to the more expensive the hotel the more likely they will charge outrageous prices for internet. The cheaper the place the more likely it will not only be free but also fast*.

Over the holidays I stayed at a Marriott. Very nice and upscale but the Internet was $20/day and only wired, no WiFi. But here is the kicker, the daily charge was per calendar day, not per 24 hours from when you first logged in. What a messed up system!

* This might be do to the lack of notebooks at cheap hotels and is likely somewhat outdated anecdotal evidence since I've been using notebooks almost elusively since the late 90s, well before notebooks and internet was commonplace so I would have certainly been at hotels with the only WiFi-capable computer.

Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"

Regardless of the country I've traveled to the more expensive the hotel the more likely they will charge outrageous prices for internet. The cheaper the place the more likely it will not only be free but also fast*.

This is so true.

I once stayed at a Mandarin Oriental -- in a $900 room (someone else was paying ) -- and the 24-hour internet charge was $49.95! That was a bit shocking........

I once stayed at a Mandarin Oriental -- in a $900 room (someone else was paying ) -- and the 24-hour internet charge was $49.95! That was a bit shocking........

During flight destruction this winter BA gave me a room (i had to wait 8h for my flight) at some crap b&b (i'm so used to them since uni that i can instantly tell if i'm in one) near Heathrow Terminal 5 and there was free wifi. Slow half mbit/s but still a nice bonus

This is one major reason why I bought the WiFi version of the iPad, AT&T's network just plan sucks. Only problem is that there's no way to ever get as good a deal with month-to-month 3G service as what AT&T is offering. It's either $60/month for 5GB with 2-year contract, $50 month-to-month for 500MB or $40 month-to-month for $250MB. Those price/data points are pathologically stupid for anyone who wants to consume anything besides text!

Oh well, I'll just stick to what I have now. I'm not about to reward these companies in their attempt to rape my wallet just for mobile data access.

Really?

I'm a long-time Qwest ADSL/lan line consumer and with their partnership with AT&T I've got access to > 14,000 Hotspots around the country.

During flight destruction this winter BA gave me a room (i had to wait 8h for my flight) at some crap b&b (i'm so used to them since uni that i can instantly tell if i'm in one) near Heathrow Terminal 5 and there was free wifi. Slow half mbit/s but still a nice bonus

Back in 2007 I ended up staying a few days at the Heathrow Hilton on my way back from India. I forget how much it was, but I recall the "High Speed Internet" fees as being outrageous and on top of that it was dead slow, slower than some of the places i stayed while traveling Asia. I love that they still advertise it as being "10x faster than dial up" in 2010.

Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"

Appleinsider would do wisely not to carelessly reproduce the false and misleading rhetoric of American marketing in labeling Sprint's network a 4G (Fourth Generation) network.

What Sprint has rolled out is in Europe considered to be a lowly upgrade of the bandwidth of a 3G network. They claim that a measly 6 mbit/s is to be considered 4th generation bandwidth.

Well IN THE REST OF THE WORLD 4G refers at least to LTE technology, which promises to provide between 50 - 100 mbps on a mobile connection.

It is as easy as looking up the article on 4G in Wikipedia to verify this fact.

So Appleinsider please try to put a dampener on your US-centric, corporate suck up world view in the future in order to remain relevant to your European readership. Thank you.

It's impossible to write these articles and satisfy everyone on the globe and their unique circumstances. "The rest of the world" is "Europe" as you believe. AI is a USA centric news service - if you're in Antarctica while reading it, chances are it doesn't pertain to you as much. Write your own damn articles. Do you really criticize websites in your country for not taking into account all the rest of the world's cultures, etc? Hell no you don't. Stop being pissy about your envy of the US.

Besides the network discussion (can't say much about is, as I am in a different country, still - the AT&T rates for the iPad seem to be rather nice?)...

Doesn't anybody else think that the iPhone was a bit of a strange choice here? They almost say: this is the smartphone to have, but we are the service to use. If I were Palm, I would be a bit miffed about it.

ok, I'm confused. I looked up Sprint 4G and it says average speeds 3-6 mbps, peak speeds up to 10 mbps. The commercial says it's 10x faster than AT&T 3G, but AT&T 3G is now 7.2 mbps. So isn't sprint 4G about the same speed as AT&T 3G?

ok, I'm confused. I looked up Sprint 4G and it says average speeds 3-6 mbps, peak speeds up to 10 mbps. The commercial says it's 10x faster than AT&T 3G, but AT&T 3G is now 7.2 mbps. So isn't sprint 4G about the same speed as AT&T 3G?

The 7.2Mbps is the theoretical speed of the HW. In that case i think that is HW in the iPhone 3GS with many AT&T towers in larger cities with 14.4Mbps speeds. Real world speeds are considerably slower. I haven't even seen 4Mbps from the iPhone on 3G.

They surely bought some stats that show they are 10x faster than AT&T. it's likely a best case scenario for them with cherry picked results but it's also likely technically true. The problem with WiMAX is not unlike AT&T. WiMAX can claim faster speeds but if it's not available in your area or you can never get these fast real world speeds due to saturation or distance from tower then it's pointless to you as a customer. Same goes for AT&T claiming to be faster than Verizon while Verizon has better coverage and less congested network. Each person's location and usage needs will need to be accounted for independently, so: results will vary.

Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"

But yeah, seems like the US is gradually approaching Europe and Asian connectivity levels.

Connectivity, in what regard? Just speed, or do you mean with free tethering, cost per GB, or something else?

The US is quite large and the connectivity I get in one state carries over to every other state, including Alaska and Hawaii. There are geotechnical costs involved that make nationwide coverage cost ineffective compared to small, dense countries. Traveling through Europe switching disposable SIMs isn't a great plan. I know that the Chinese carriers differ from the carriers in Hong Kong, but even between countries in Europe that share the same carrier there are no EU-wide plans that I'm aware.

I guess what I'm trying to say in a very protracted manner is that the US' size and population dispersal makes one-to-one comparisons between small dense countries impossible.

Is your data usage unlimited?

Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"

Connectivity, in what regard? Just speed, or do you mean with free tethering, cost per GB, or something else?

The US is quite large and the connectivity I get in one state carries over to every other state, including Alaska and Hawaii. There are geotechnical costs involved that make nationwide coverage cost ineffective compared to small, dense countries. Traveling through Europe switching disposable SIMs isn't a great plan. I know that the Chinese carriers differ from the carriers in Hong Kong, but even between countries in Europe that share the same carrier there are no EU-wide plans that I'm aware.

I guess what I'm trying to say in a very protracted manner is that the US' size and population dispersal makes one-to-one comparisons between small dense countries impossible.

Is your data usage unlimited?

You don't say. If US providers have difficulties due to its size I wouldn't bother you describing problems that exist in my homeland Russia is just to big to be managed as a single country, it doesn't stand a chance. No Russian network provides a single (in terms of cost) plan to cover the whole country. So when i travel from Moscow to Vladivostok my provider charges me higher rate per minute than if i used my Russian sim anywhere in the EU.

Anyhow, if everyone would just look back a decade...1 mbit/s is fantastic speed for a mobile device

You don't say. If US providers have difficulties due to its size I wouldn't bother you describing problems that exist in my homeland Russia is just to big to be managed as a single country, it doesn't stand a chance.

Anyhow, if everyone would just look back a decade...1 mbit/s is fantastic speed for a mobile device

A decade ago I don't think I was getting 1Mbps on a cable network, so I'm certainly not complaining about 3Mbps on my phone.

Here are some simple stats for 5 large countries.

Russia: . 140,041,247 population / 16,377,742 sq km = . 8.55 pop. per sq km
China: .1,338,612,968 population / .9,569,901 sq km = 139.88 pop. per sq km
US: . . . 307,212,123 population / .9,161,966 sq km = .33.53 pop. per sq km
Canada: . .33,487,208 population / .9,093,507 sq km = . 3.68 pop. per sq km
Australia: 21,262,641 population / .7,682,300 sq km = . 2.77 pop. per sq km
Obviously Canada and Russia have vast areas that aren't inhabited but I have no way of calculating based on inhabited land. Even if I did, it would still not be very telling as there are still many other factors to consider. It's easy to want one nation's carriers to work like another but the reality is always going to be very different.

Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"

The US is quite large and the connectivity I get in one state carries over to every other state, including Alaska and Hawaii. There are geotechnical costs involved that make nationwide coverage cost ineffective compared to small, dense countries.

True. But there's no excuse for dense urban areas not to have excellent, affordable service options.

Quote:

Traveling through Europe switching disposable SIMs isn't a great plan. I know that the Chinese carriers differ from the carriers in Hong Kong, but even between countries in Europe that share the same carrier there are no EU-wide plans that I'm aware.

But roaming between countries is cheap as hell. In addition, as there are few carrier locks (one of the most important parts of this discussion), switching SIM cards is at least an option. In the US, not.

Quote:

I guess what I'm trying to say in a very protracted manner is that the US' size and population dispersal makes one-to-one comparisons between small dense countries impossible.

But as I've pointed out, carrier locks and poor service in urban areas are the main place where the US is far, far behind.

Quote:

Is your data usage unlimited?

Yes. Fully unlimited, even if I torrent on my MBP (which I wouldn't do on a WiFi connection). Since getting my data plan, when I'm on the bus or the MTR, I frequently browse the web, check all my emails including attachments, watch the occasional YouTube clip attached to a Facebook message, and update or download apps on my iPod Touch, without having to worry about data usage. It's nice being completely free.

This post makes little sense. First you claim AT&T's network plain sucks. Yet, you say it's data plain is a good deal. If it truly sucks, no amount of money would make it a good deal. Personally, I think the quality of AT&T's network depends greatly on too many personal factors like your location. One thing is for certain, I like being able to access both the data and voice at the same time on AT&T. In my mind, Verizon's failure to implement that makes it's network suck or in the very least not open to a fair comparison with AT&T's network.

Personally, I think the 3G iPad is the best deal. You know there are going to be 3G specific applications for the iPad. For instance, GPS applications. Those will not be available for the strict Wi-Fi ones. I mean seriously, the iPad will make a sweet GPS unit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dagamer34

This is one major reason why I bought the WiFi version of the iPad, AT&T's network just plan sucks. Only problem is that there's no way to ever get as good a deal with month-to-month 3G service as what AT&T is offering. It's either $60/month for 5GB with 2-year contract, $50 month-to-month for 500MB or $40 month-to-month for $250MB. Those price/data points are pathologically stupid for anyone who wants to consume anything besides text!

Oh well, I'll just stick to what I have now. I'm not about to reward these companies in their attempt to rape my wallet just for mobile data access.